


How Come This Isn't a Paying Job?

by strawberrylace



Series: Forty Weddings and Maybe a Couple of Funerals [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Gen, Maid of honor, Rey will do anything for her best friend as a maid of honor, Tumblr Prompt, Weddings, oops i mean gentlemen's club haha, what is Rey doing at a strip club...?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 08:03:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11778858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrylace/pseuds/strawberrylace
Summary: Rey just wants to be the best maid of honor for her best friend's wedding...even if it means paying someone to fill in as a groomsman.Based on the AU "Hi, yes, I know I’m in a ‘gentlemen’s club’ but my best friend is getting married and one of the groomsmen didn’t show up so I’m willing to pay anyone who’s about 6’4 and weighs 220 lbs, $200 for the night. There’s an open bar.”





	How Come This Isn't a Paying Job?

**Author's Note:**

> I was reminded of the crazy time I was once a maid of honor, and finding this prompt was the perfect excuse for me to write about a maid of honor. There's no romance in this piece, just the good ol' power of friendship!!! I hope you all enjoy this. It's been a long time since I've written anything Star Wars related...

“Rey, do you think you can help me with my shoes?” 

Rey looked up from her phone at Rose. She was truly a vision in white, impeccable to be precise. It was hard to believe that Rey’s best friend was getting married today. Rose was the rock in Rey’s life, having been a constant support system for the past 11 years. Being asked to be Rose’s maid of honor was the biggest responsibility Rey had ever taken on. It was a lot to ask, sure, but Rey would do anything for Rose. She’d go the extra mile to make sure that her perfect day was nothing less than. 

Rey dug through the extra tulle underneath Rose’s dress to slip on her cheetah print flats. Crouching down, Rey made sure that she didn’t wrinkle her royal blue bridesmaid dress as she helped Rose get her other shoe on. Smoothing out her skirt, Rose took a deep breath and looked in the mirror. 

“Rey, do I look fake?” Rose asked, examining her face. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Rey laughed. “Would I let you walk down the aisle looking like you ate a blueberry pie?” 

“You let me walk around town with a penis headband for my bachelorette party.” 

Rey was about to counter the argument when her phone started ringing in her dress. Reaching down her bra, she answered the phone. 

“Rey speaking.” 

“Rey, is Rose with you?” 

The groom. Shit, Rey thought to herself. He was only to call her if there was a dire emergency. Nothing was supposed to go wrong on her best friend’s wedding day. Rey would not allow it. 

“Yeah, she’s with me,” Rey said quietly, stepping out of the hotel room. “Jamie, what’s going on?” 

“I’m fine if that’s what you’re implying,” said Jamie. “It’s my groomsmen.” 

“What happened, did they forget how to walk in a straight line?” 

“Very funny, Rey. It’s Paul. He hasn’t showed up. Said he was going back to his parent’s place last night and that was the last we heard from him. We’ve tried calling and texting him and nothing.” 

“Have you tried calling his mom?” 

“I don’t have his house phone number.” 

Rey groaned. “Can’t one of your groomsmen try to find him? Maybe he overslept.” 

“We have to get to the church like right now! Rey, I need you to find a replacement groomsman for me.” 

“Are you crazy? You’re going to let a random stranger be a part of your wedding party? Do you have any idea how pissed your folks are going to be?” 

“Rey, I wouldn’t ask this if I didn’t trust you and seeing as how you are Rose’s most trusted and best friend. You’ve done so much for her leading up to this. Paul overslept on the most important day of my life and I would trust you over any of the other guys to be honest.” 

Touched by her best friend’s future husband’s honesty but mostly annoyed with how last minute this was, she reluctantly agreed to this crazy harebrained idea. 

“Fine,” Rey sighed. “Where do I even begin to look?” 

“I dunno, anywhere!” Jamie cried out frantically. “Just don’t bring over a murderer or something like that. Fuck, I gotta go. Just find me someone who’s really really tall and can fit into a tux, please?” 

“You owe me big time.” 

Rey turned to see Rose waiting right outside the door, a worried expression on her face. 

“Rey,” her voice quivered. “Is everything alright?” 

“Uh…yes and no,” Rey answered quickly. “The good news is, Jamie loves you very much and wants to marry you. The bad news is, we can’t find Paul.” 

“Dammit Paul!” Rose cried out. “He had one fucking job to do! Fuck, what are they going to do?” 

“Well, Jamie asked me to find a replacement Paul so that’s what I’m going to do. I’ll come back in time for the wedding, I promise.” 

“A replacement Paul? That is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard! Where will you find someone who would be willing to step in for a wedding at the last minute?” 

“Fuck if I know!” Rey rushed back in to grab her purse and jacket. She looked through her wallet and counted how much cash she had on her. She may need to stop at an ATM machine but perhaps it could be done between the photos and the reception. Before she left the hotel room, she looked back at Rose and gave her a tight hug. 

“I’m going to fix this,” said Rey. “I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t deeply care for the both of you.” 

“That is the kindest thing you’ve ever done for Jamie,” said Rose, smiling. “Just promise me you won’t bring back an axe murderer.” 

“I’ll see what I can do…” 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Going to a strip club was not the place Rey had in mind but it was the closest place that was between the chapel and the hotel. Paradise City Gentlemen’s Club was a small establishment on a corner street, right across the way from a bakery. From a distance, it looked like a small black box that contrasted with all the colorful small businesses that surrounded it. The only way to tell it was a gentlemen’s club was the big sign up front that showed a woman in her bikini relaxing on the beach. The moment that Rey saw the sign, a light bulb went up in her head as she made a hard right into their parking lot. This place was sure to be crawling with men desperate to make a quick buck as a fill-in groomsman and Rey may have just hit the jackpot. 

It was more pathetic than Rey could’ve imagined the place to be. The pink and blue neon lights did the place no favors in contrast with the dark room, making it look more depressing. As she scanned the area, Rey counted maybe ten guys inside and as she walked past each guy, no one seemed to fit the bill as Paul’s replacement. As she was about to head out, she saw someone that could potentially be the perfect fill-in. 

Rey didn’t see the tall man when Rey first walked in. Perhaps it was because he was dressed in all black or because he just stood there, guarding the gentlemen’s club. He was tall, so that was a plus. He had some rather unusual facial features but no one was going to be paying attention to how he looked. As long as he wasn’t a serial killer, this was the guy that she was looking for. 

“Excuse me sir,” Rey marched up to the tall man. “How would you like to make some quick cash?” 

He said nothing at first, only looking down at Rey with a funny face. 

“Hi, yes, I know I’m in a gentlemen’s club but,” Rey sighed, “my best friend is getting married and one of the groomsmen didn’t show up so I’m willing to pay anyone who’s about 6’4 and weighs 220 lbs. Since you’re the only person who seems to fit that bill, how would you like to be a stand-in groomsmen for the day?” 

He said nothing at first. Slowly, a smile crept up on his face and then he burst out laughing. The eager smile on Rey's face faded as the tall guy continued to laugh on. She looked around the room to see if anyone was watching but everyone else was too zoned out to pay attention to much else. 

“Are you shitting me?” he asked, finished laughing. 

“I wish I was kidding but I’m not," Rey sighed, wondering how she could seal this deal. "Look, I’ll pay you $200 for the night.” 

He pondered over the amount and shrugged. “What makes you think I would take it?” 

Her eyes narrowed at him. “Clearly you’re just as bored as the patrons here. What brings people like you to a strip club on a Saturday morning?” 

“I came to pick my check up because I was working late last night as security. I figured I’d watch the morning show,” he smirked, looking around at the patrons once more. “Looks a lot different than at night.” 

“So you’re just here because you’re bored on your day off?” 

He shrugged. “Pretty much. I was going to go back to sleep but then you offered me $200 and I’m very tempted to take it if I didn’t have to wear a monkey suit.” 

“There’s an open bar at the reception.” 

“Okay, I’m in.” 

Rey’s eyes widened. “You’re absolutely serious? And you’re not a serial killer either?” 

“Yeah, if there’s booze involved, sure. Just point me in the right direction and give me a rundown of the party beforehand. How much time do I have to get ready?” 

“Like maybe a half hour.” 

“A half hour?!” his voice squeaked. “And your first thought was to look in a fucking strip club for someone to replace a groomsman?” 

“Hey, it was the first place I saw driving by!” Rey protested. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you a rundown in my car as you get dressed. It’ll be alright.” 

He pondered for a moment and sighed. “Fine, but I want to be paid upfront. Who's wedding is this for? What’s your name?”

“Rey. Thanks again for doing this and for not being an axe murderer. You are?” 

“Ben, but my friends call me Kylo. This better be a hell of a wedding they’re having. Do they know you’re doing this?” 

“Oddly enough, yes. Look, you’re doing me a solid here. I wouldn’t do this for anyone but seeing as I’m maid of honor, I’m basically the only qualified person that can find someone so quick.” 

“I’d have to say then you’ve done a hell of a job as maid of honor. Maybe they should be paying you.”

It wouldn’t be such a bad idea, considering the trouble she went through. As she and Kylo left the gentlemen’s club and made their way to the chapel, Rey pondered about how much she should ask for compensation in finding a groomsman in perfect timing.


End file.
